The Olde Angel Inn

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As one of Ontario’s oldest operating inns, the Olde Angel Inn is no stranger to paranormal activity. It is said that Captain Swayze, a British solider from the War of 1812 is still present at the inn, walking the halls at night.

The Olde Angel Inn is a popular pub and inn in Niagara-on-the-Lake. In an American raid during the war of 1812, the inn was burned to the ground. Before the raid, Colin Swayze a British Captain in the War, was given orders to flee, but did not evacuate Niagara-on-the-Lake. Instead, he stayed behind; some believe he was waiting to meet his lover. He waited until 10 o’clock at the intersection of what is now Regent and Market streets, but she never showed. When then American soldiers arrived, Captain Swayze hid in his wine cellar, located in the basement of the inn. As the Americans searched the entire Inn, they came up to the wine cellar, and knew Swayze had to be here, so they used their bayonets to check every corner, every wine barrel, and everywhere else he could have been hiding. The soldiers came to one of the barrels raised their bayonets and stabbed the barrel, immediately blood came pooling out onto the ground as the American soldiers had killed Captain Swayze. After the Americans raided the town, they burned it to the ground.

The Olde Angel Inn was rebuilt in 1815 by John Ross. Since the 1820s there have been ghostly encounters. The most common reports of Captain Swayze’s spirit are noises coming from an empty dining room and dishes that have been rearranged. Other common encounters with Captain Swayze have happened in the men’s and women’s washrooms in the Inn. In the men’s room, one man reported that he heard someone go into the the stall next to him but no one was there. Another incident in the women’s bathroom occurred when a woman, heard the footsteps of someone walk into the bathroom and turn on the hand dryer, but as she walked out of the stall she saw no one in the room with her. The bathrooms may be a frequent place for Captain Swayze to visit because they are next to his cellar in the basement.

Captain Swayze has reportedly not harmed anyone. However, if the Union Jack is removed from above the Inn door, the Captain gets angry and disrupts guests. When the flag is taken down to be cleaned, it must be replaced by another.